The collection / 170 fragments

The living archive

Passages, proverbs, and questions carried across the ages.

SearchTypeTopicEraCulture / collection labelCountry attributionTraditionOrder

Author

Leave empty for every voice. Browse all authors ↗

Reset

Culture labels and country attributions follow the source collections; earliest origins may be unknown.

170 results · Page 1 of 8Play this collection ▷

01c. 1562 AD

If you press me to say why I loved him, I can say no more than because he was he, and I was I.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

02c. 1562 AD

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

03c. 1562 AD

I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

04c. 1562 AD

The greater part of the world's troubles are due to questions of grammar.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

05c. 1562 AD

Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

06c. 1562 AD

L'utilité du vivre n'est pas en l'espace: elle est en l'usage.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

07c. 1562 AD

Heureuse la mort qui oste le loisir aux apprests de tel equipage.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

08c. 1562 AD

D'autant que nous avons cher, estre, et estre consiste en mouvement et action.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

09c. 1562 AD

L'honneste est stable et permanent.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

10c. 1562 AD

J'accuse toute violence en l'education d'une ame tendre, qu'on dresse pour l'honneur, et la liberté.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

11c. 1562 AD

Je hay entre autres vices, cruellement la cruauté, et par nature et par jugement, comme l'extreme de tous les vices.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

12c. 1562 AD

Il n'est rien qui tente mes larmes que les larmes.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

13c. 1562 AD

Les naturels sanguinaires à l'endroit des bestes, tesmoignent une propension naturelle à la cruauté.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

14c. 1562 AD

Nature a, (ce crains-je) elle mesme attaché à l'homme quelque instinct à l'inhumanité

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

15c. 1562 AD

Why do people respect the package rather than the man?

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

16c. 1562 AD

Though the ancient poet in Plutarch tells us we must not trouble the gods with our affairs because they take no heed of our angers and disputes, we can never enough decry the disorderly sallies of our minds.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

17c. 1562 AD

There were many terrible things in my life and most of them never happened.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

18c. 1562 AD

It is a disaster that wisdom forbids you to be satisfied with yourself and always sends you away dissatisfied and fearful, whereas stubbornness and foolhardiness fill their hosts with joy and assurance.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

19c. 1562 AD

I listen with attention to the judgment of all men;but so far as I can remember,I have followed none but my own.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

20c. 1562 AD

Stupidity and wisdom meet in the same centre of sentiment and resolution, in the suffering of human accidents.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

21c. 1562 AD

There is indeed a certain sense of gratification when we do a good deed that gives us inward satisfaction, and a generous pride that accompanies a good conscience…These testimonies of a good conscience are pleasant; and such a natural pleasure is very beneficial to us; it is the only payment that can never fail. “On Repentance

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

22c. 1562 AD

We need but little learning to live happily.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

23c. 1562 AD

Confidence in others' honesty is no light testimony of one's own integrity.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗

24c. 1562 AD

All is a-swarm with commentaries: of authors there is a dearth.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

↗